Does Modafinil Show Up In Drug Tests?

Employers and universities are using drug tests to monitor and screen employees and students. Pre-employment drug tests are increasingly common for jobs that require the operation of machinery. If you take Provigil (modafinil) for fatigue or ADHD, you've probably had the thought: does Provigil (modafinil) show up on drug tests?

In the vast majority of cases, the answer is a resounding 'no.' Why? There are a few reasons modafinil remains undetected in drug tests:

Most conventional drug tests assay drugs of abuse like:

Cannabis and other illegal drugs

Benzodiazepines (e.g., Xanax)

Opioids (e.g., Oxycodone)

Amphetamines (e.g., Adderall)

Since modafinil has a low addictive potential, most drug tests don't screen for it.

Unlike psychostimulants like Vyvanse, modafinil is not an amphetamine derivative. This means that modafinil won't trigger a false-positive result for amphetamine.

In the United States, modafinil is classified as a schedule IV drug. Other drugs like Xanax or Adderall are schedule II, which means that they're frequently misused. Drug tests are geared illegal drugs like heroin and prescription drugs that fall within Schedule II.

Modafinil Can Still Be Detected If You're Looking For It

Modafinil can still be identified in blood and urine if you know what to look for. But no typcial employment drug test will incorporate a screening for modafinil.

Modafinil and False-Positives

You may wonder if it's possible for modafinil to produce a false-positive for another drug, such as an amphetamine. This never happens because modafinil are and adderall are chemically unrelated.

Some users may also be concerned about how long modafinil stays in your system and if it can impact drug test results in other ways. Modafinil has a relatively short half-life of 13 hours. This means that it will be completely cleared from your body in a couple days after your last dose.

Modafinil and Doping

Now, if you happen to be an athlete and taking a drug test related to competition, then you might have a difficulty. Many governing bodies now ban modafinil, although it is a reasonably recent development. Magnificently, sprinter Kelli White had her gold medal from the World Championships because she tested positive revoked.

Chryste Gaines, sprinters Calvin Harrison, Chris Phillips, Eric Thomas, and Sandra Glover all had their places in the 2003 US Track and Field championships revoked when they tested positive. Also, some strength athletes have got into hot water.

The 2004 Olympics Games in Athens were the first Olympics that modafinil was prohibited, along with the drug was put on the list in August 2004, less than two weeks before the games started.